The Machine
by Valhala96
Summary: The Machine is about two kids, twins, who are destined to save the dying human race. But problems araise when a feat of science, engeneering, and maybe a touch of magic goes horrible wrong and the world is set on the edge of survival in more ways than one
1. Chapter 1

The Machine

~Chapter One~

Summer, the year 3000.

How is fate determined from one person to another? Are you chosen for your role in life? Or is it just as we call it...fate?

I didn't know what to think as I watched the years slip by and my daughter and son grow up. They were twins, a bad sign, a sign that evil had touched them even before they were born.

At least no one could tell they were twins unless told beforehand. My little girl, Ann, was as dark as a raven, delicate as a moon flower, and as fierce as summer hurricane. My son, Erron, however was pale, freckled and had thick, straight red hair. He was wry and tall for his age-forever into mischief like a child of the fey.

My revere was cut short when Ann tugged on my arm, I looked down into her intense eyes, the only feature she shared with her brother.

"Ma, are you alright? You're as pale as the bread dough."

Smiling, I stroked her thick, dark hair, "it's the change in weather is all, I'm a bit out of sorts."

She nodded, accepting this. I handed her a basket full of bread and she took it, slipping on her boots. Outside, Erron leaned against the horse they would ride double and yawned. Ann hopped up with grace in front, and Erron scrambled up behind her, balancing the basket between them. The horse sighed, and picked up a n easy trot. They were headed to visit their grandmother who lived about three miles away. She loved when they came, so I sent them often.

I trembled and fought, but the tears slid down my face defiantly. Sinking to the floor I shuddered, wondering how long their happy life could last before I would be forced to tell them the truth.

The machines were everywhere. In every house, and every workplace. At Grandmother's we found she had four now.

The two fashioned like large metal spiders, clicking and whirring as they picked crumbs and dirt off of the floor, their electric green eyes glowing. Another sat in the sink, rounded and porous, reminding me of a toad when it burped bubbles and water onto the dirty plates and cups. It's little arms came out with tiny brushes to scrub away the messes.

The last was Grandmother's caretaker. It was vaguely humanoid, but it scared me to the high heavens. Hundreds of gears spun at it's joint's and when it looked at me I got the feeling it knew what I was thinking about-and it didn't like it.

I hated the machines, they made my skin prickle and my head throb, though I have no idea why. Ann on the other hand doesn't seem to have any problem with them. But it's hard to tell her opinion on anything really, which is weird coming from her twin, you'd think after being stuck with her for nine years that I would understand her better...but I don't.

She turned to look at me, her eyes sparkling. Okay, it's bad enough that's she's a mystery to me, but it's down right annoying that she's got me completely figured out.

Her lips twitched as she stuffed a piece of bread into her mouth as if to say "ha!" and turned back to Grandmother, who was telling us we must do more to help our poor mother who is forever in a fragile state of mind. Everyone blames our mother's health on us but Grandmother, she doesn't think twins are a curse, but a gift rather, one to be treasured and proud of.

I have a bad feeling Ann and I are going to find out weather that is true or not.


	2. Chapter 2

Five Years Later

"Erron...what are you doing?" my silly, loving, witty brother was staring, mouth slightly open, at something in the market. My eyes searched but I could not find what had caught his attention. I wouldn't care so much, except nothing ever held my brother's attention for more than ten seconds at most...well, nothing except food of course.

Sighing, I smacked him upside the head. He jumped, and turned, glaring, "what was that for?"

"Stop day dreaming, Erron, I need you to help me find the ginger for Grandmother's bread."

Muttering under his breath he stole one last glance back, and I saw what had captured his attention like a bird in a cage. A girl. Of all things...I'd thought maybe it was a roasting turkey, or those blackberry pies, but a girl? I had to admit, for a boy who had never before looked at girls for what they were-he had good taste.

She had long chocolate hair that glinted blonde in the sun and curled gently to the small of her back. Her skin was a creamy tan color over strong muscles and long fingered hands that gripped a basket full of bread. She was about as tall as me, but with an exotic face; high cheekbones and a strong jaw. Her snapping eyes were blue-gray and framed with elegant lashes like a dusting of coal.

"Come on," I elbowed Erron. "You see her again soon I'd wager."

After all these years he didn't even blink when I let on I knew what he was thinking about, "why do you say that, Ann?"

"Because fools have all the luck."

Smirking, I dodged his kick and skipped off to find the ginger.

He might pretend to have his feelings hurt at my remark, but I knew better. On the way home, his eyes, the only thing we shared in common, were glinting with excitement and hope.


	3. Chapter 3

~Erron~

Five years have passed since my mother died, and still, the loss burns like my insides have been doused with lamp oil and lit on fire. Sometimes I wake up screaming, tears rolling down my face. Nothing makes me cry anymore except that. Strange as it is, whenever I do wake up in that state Ann is always waiting there, sitting cross-legged on the end of my bed with a handkerchief and a cup of water. She knows everything about me, a one way connection however.

Ann has never cried over our mother's death. Crying is not how she expresses her sadness at death, she just gets this look on her face like she knows something terrible, something I don't.

It's like the shadow of death has filled her very eyes, and it has remained the most frightening thing I have ever seen in my life...and that includes the sight of my mother's dead body.

I sat at Grandmother's kitchen table, the whirring, clicking, beeping machines around me made my skin cold. I hated these things.

Grandmother, appearing out of nowhere as usual, smiled cheerfully and placed bacon, biscuits and raspberry jam in front of me. "Where is your sister, dear?"

"She was awake before the sun, Gran, probably out running with her _pets_."

Grandmother grinned, "I know you don't like the wolf pack Erron, but you know Ariann wouldn't let them hurt your horses."

"Better not, or I'll set the damn things on fire."

Grandmother May smacked me upside the head with her wooden spoon like it was a normal thing and said calmly, "you will do no such thing."

"Yes, Grandmother," I said automatically, barely ruffled at the reprimand from my five-foot-nothing grandmother.

At that moment Ann burst through the door, hair wind-blown, cheeks flushed a healthy pink, and breathing hard. A wolf head nudged itself in-between her waist and the door frame and growled at Erron.

Grandmother chuckled and threw the wolf a piece of meat. Snatching it up, the wolf swallowed it whole, licked Ann's hand, turned, and darted out to the rest of his pack.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm done." Taking my plate I gingerly handed it to the machine in the sink, jerking my hand back as soon as it touched it. The machine caught it without so much as a mechanical blink, but it's little green eyes followed him with a dangerous intelligence.

"Going out to play with your ponies?" Ann smirked.

Making a rude gesture at her I ducked out the door before Grandmother could hurl another spoon at me.

Walking into the barn I smiled as all the horses nickered, sticking their heads out of their stalls to greet him. I walked to each, stroking muzzles and feeding them carrots and slices of apple. The smell of clean horses, leather, dirt, wood, sweet feed, and oil filled my nose and I sighed happily.

Today seemed like a good day to jump, just dry enough, and hardly windy. Tempest was my best jumper so I picked him. Grabbing his tack and a couple brushes I groomed him until his coat shone. Tempest was a mix, quarter horse and thoroughbred, my favorite combination. He had the long legs, height, and stamina of a thoroughbred, and the speed, agility, and badass attitude of a quarter horse.

As we walked out into the sun his black coat shone dark blue. Grinning like a fool I turned him down the jumping trail, his ears flicked back and forth, waiting for the signal. Whistling, I squeezed slightly with my heels. That was all he needed. Tempest shoot forward, deep into the trail.

We rounded the first corner and I kept him steady as I spotted the first one, a stone wall. One...two...three, he launched himself skyward, landed slightly, and speed forward. A well controlled bullet. We blasted around corners and flew over every fence, straight rail, and wall we came across. As fast as we were going, it wasn't headlong. I had learned a long time ago that if you did that your ass would be on the ground in less that a minute.

Turning down the trail I had made to go back without any jumps I slowed Tempest down, tucked his nose to his chest, and relaxed. Tempest knew how to look handsome when asked.

Turning my head I looked into the woods and my blood froze. Grandmother's living assistant she got five years ago was standing there, watching me, it's head cocked to the side, green eyes glowing. Fear flooded into my brain when it took one step, then another, and started to run toward us.


End file.
